Benue Killings: Ortom Cries To UN For Help

Benue Killings: Ortom Cries To UN For Help

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday called
on the United Nations, UN, to intervene in the human crisis resulting
from the genocide perpetrated by armed herdsmen in the state.

The
Governor made the call on Wednesday at the United Nations Development
Programme, UNDP, office in Abuja when he led a delegation of the state
to make a presentation on the continuous killing of Benue people by
rampaging herdsmen.

Governor Ortom informed the gathering
that as an administration, which believes in the rule of law and
peaceful coexistence, series of meetings for dialogue were organised by
the Benue State Government to find a solution to the crisis without much
success leading to the promulgation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and
Ranches Establishment Law.
He argued that due process was followed
in the making of the law, saying in addition to conducting public
hearings, which involved all the stakeholders in the three Senatorial
districts of the state and Makurdi, a grace period of six months was
allowed for people involved in livestock business to make adjustments.
After
the Governor’s opening address, Commissioner for Education, Science and
Technology, Professor Dennis Ityavyar made a presentation which had
details on the attacks, including the number of people killed and
property destroyed between 2011 and this year. He urged the United
Nations to assist Benue State to overcome the challenge.
The United
Nations and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon
expressed deep worry that the conflict between herdsmen and farmers if
not checked would mar the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general election.

Mr.
Kallon stated that already 19 out of the 36 states of the federation
were engulfed in the crisis which he said was being driven by climate
change, growing scarcity of resources and insufficient political
reforms.
He decried the level of attacks and killing of innocent
people by armed men, maintaining that he was personally involved in the
roadmap to peace and had been calling on Government all levels to find a
lasting solution to the conflicts in order to stop the killings.
Mr.
Kallon stated that he was represented in Benue at the mass burial of
the seventy people killed by suspected Fulani militia in January where
he called on the Federal Government to take firm action in investigating
the attacks, bringing the perpetrators to justice and also paying
compensation to victims in line with International Human Rights
obligations.